Marseille halt PSG party plans

Marseille ensured Paris St Germain's title party would have to wait until Sunday at least with a 2-1 victory over Toulouse.

Last Updated: 11/05/13 6:41pm

Andre Ayew (10) tucks away his opening goal for Marseille

Marseille ensured Paris St Germain's title party would have to wait until Sunday at least with a 2-1 victory over Toulouse at the Stade Velodrome.

An Andre Ayew brace either side of the break was enough to see off 10th-placed Toulouse and guarantee Champions League football for the hosts next season.

Despite a late Eden Ben Basat goal, an eighth away defeat of the season for Alain Casanova's men all but guaranteed a mid-table finish.

The visitors began the game confidently and a free-kick straight off the training ground almost set up Wissam Ben Yedder before the Tunisian saw a header pushed away for a corner by Steve Mandanda.

Despite struggling early on, Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac came close to carving out an opening when he cut in from the left but the former Toulouse forward blazed over the bar.

The hosts applied a first bit of pressure late into the half and, despite seeing a succession of corners come to nothing, Marseille found the breakthrough before the whistle.

Mathieu Valbuena found space on the right and delivered a wonderful ball for Ayew who neatly flicked the ball beyond Ali Ahamada with his head.

Ben Yedder went close again straight after the interval but, after being picked out by Serge Aurier, he fired straight at Mandanda.

Having struggled in the first half, Marseille began to dominate and Morgan Amalfitano saw a shot blocked before Elie Baup's men doubled their lead moments later.

Gignac did well down the left to pick out Amalfitano in the area who rolled the ball into the path of Ayew for a simple finish.

The Ghanaian went close to a third but he could only head another Valbuena delivery over Ahamada's crossbar and Marseille's nerves were tested when the visitors pulled one back with seven minutes left to play.

Ben Yedder released Ben Basat in behind the hosts' defence and the Israeli kept his cool to slot the ball between Mandanda's legs to set up a tense final few minutes.

Toulouse pressed for the late equaliser that would hand PSG the title but Marseille went closest through Jordan Ayew and stood firm to claim all three points.